Big Four compensation analysis: a comparison of salary structures and employee satisfaction

A Kununu analysis of over 8,000 salary details reveals different remuneration strategies among the market leaders - but which company is the most attractive?

Remuneration landscape of the professional services elite

A comprehensive analysis of the remuneration structures at the four market-leading auditing and consulting firms reveals differentiated salary strategies depending on career level and specialist area. The data basis comprises over 8,000 authentic salary details from employees at all hierarchical levels.

For tax consultants, EY leads with an average of 82,200 euros, followed by KPMG (81,500 euros) and PwC (79,800 euros). Deloitte brings up the rear with 74,100 euros. This spread of over 8,000 euros illustrates the different valuations of tax expertise between the firms.

Hierarchy-specific remuneration patterns

Manager positions show an inverse picture: KPMG achieves top values with 105,800 euros, while Deloitte (103,300 euros) and PwC (97,400 euros) follow. EY brings up the rear with 95,500 euros. This discrepancy between tax consultant and manager remuneration reflects different personnel strategies. The partner level documents the greatest differences: PwC achieves top remuneration of EUR 279,600, EY follows with EUR 254,900, while Deloitte (EUR 244,900) and KPMG (EUR 214,500) are well behind. This EUR 65,000 spread indicates different profitability and payout strategies.

Employee satisfaction as a differentiating factor

Despite comparable remuneration levels, salary satisfaction differs considerably. Deloitte and PwC achieve the highest values with 55 percent each, EY follows with 51 percent, while KPMG only achieves 49 percent despite some higher salaries. This discrepancy between absolute salaries and satisfaction indicates different expectation management strategies and bonus structures. Obviously, factors beyond basic remuneration have a significant influence on employee satisfaction.

Employer attractiveness and recommendation

KPMG leads the overall rating with 3.8 out of 5 stars, followed by Deloitte and EY (3.7 stars each) and PwC (3.6 stars). This ranking is confirmed by the recommendation rates: KPMG (78 percent), Deloitte (77 percent), PwC (71 percent) and EY (70 percent). All four companies are below the industry average, which reflects structural challenges in the professional services sector: High workloads, travel intensity and work-life balance issues affect attractiveness despite above-average remuneration.

Strategic implications for career decisions

The analysis shows that there is no general "big four winner". Career decisions should be made on a function- and hierarchy-specific basis. Tax consultants benefit at EY, managers at KPMG, partners at PwC. Consultant positions at Deloitte offer the highest remuneration. For career starters, a differentiated consideration of remuneration, development opportunities and corporate culture is recommended. The relatively small differences for entry-level positions should be weighed against long-term career prospects.